Tag Archives: Death Row Records

Today In Hip Hop History: Snoop Dogg Dropped His Debut Album ‘Doggystyle’ 31 Years Ago

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Snoop Dogg Doggystyle Frontal

On this date in 1993, Calvin Broadus Jr. aka Snoop Doggy Dogg released his highly anticipated first album Doggystyle on Death Row Records. This was the label’s first full-length project by a solo artist, which was piggybacking on the success of Death Row’s last release, The Chronic, the Dr. Dre album where many had just heard Snoop for the first time.

Doggystyle, which was produced exclusively by Snoop’s mentor, Dr. Dre, huddled around the concept of the “dogg”, with the animated cover and cartoon insert of a street-wise hound that wanted by the opps and the “bitches” for his “doggystyle”, which of course, is a famous sex position.

Some of the album’s leading tracks include the x-rated “It Ain’t No Fun (If The Homies Can’t Have None)” featuring childhood friend Nate Dogg and then recently formed Dogg Pound, Daz and Kurupt, the Slick Rick ode “Lodi Dodi” and the world-famous alcoholic anthem “Gin And Juice”.

Even with a four mic rating, Source staff writer Reginald Dennis said that the album escaped the coveted Five Mic rating because he felt like it was “rushed”, but nonetheless, with the introduction of such a monumental artist coupled with the authenticity of the gang-ridden West Coast streets, this album is by far one of the most pivotal albums of the 90s, even before the East Coast/West Coast rivalry, which came at least two years later. Salute to Snoop, Dre, the Dogg Pound, The Lady Of Rage, RBX, Suge, and the rest of the legendary Death Row for putting together this classic album!

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Today In Hip Hop History: Tupac Shakur’s First Posthumous Album ‘Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory’ Was Released 28 Years Ago

Makaveli front cover

Makaveli front cover

On this date in 1996, Tupac Amaru Shakur posthumously released the final album of his illustrious career.

26 years ago today, just two months after the untimely murder of Tupac on the Las Vegas strip alongside Death Row Records CEO Suge Knight, the fifth and final album, Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory, was released. Recognized as ‘Pac’s most influential body of work, the Killuminati album was not only his most controversial, but its concept still has many of his fans believing that ‘Pac is still alive. Besides his beef with Nas, Jay-Z, B.I.G., and almost any relevant New York rapper you can think of, the album hinges on the life of Makaveli, a play on the name of Italian writer and philosopher Nicollo Machiavelli, who is believed to have staged his death.

The album was originally set to be dropped in March of 1997, but after Shakur was killed, Death Row boss Suge Knight released the album four months later. Ironically, Brooklyn rap rival Notorious B.I.G. was shot down in Los Angeles, California, on March 9, 1997.

The album, recorded in 12 days in August 1996, featured a list of timeless, classic singles, including “Hail Mary,” “Me And My Girlfriend,” and “Against All Odds,” all of which were remade by premiere artists after Shakur’s death. The 5X platinum album has been listed as one of the top-selling Hip-Hop albums of all time.

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Death Row’s Danny Boy Returns With “My Everything” Featuring Snoop Dogg

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Legendary R&B and soul singer Danny Boy makes his highly anticipated return with his latest single, “My Everything,” featuring Snoop Dogg. Released today via Death Row/gamma.

The new track showcases Danny Boy’s signature vocal prowess and emotional depth that fans have come to love over the years. Produced by Mike & Keys, the track brings back the nostalgic warmth of a classic ’90s R&B love song. Released just before his wife’s birthday, Snoop Dogg pens a heartfelt dedication to her, honoring their love and devotion while celebrating their lasting bond.

Danny Boy’s latest release marks a pivotal moment in his storied career, celebrating his return to Death Row Records, the iconic label where he first rose to fame at just 16. Renowned for his soulful vocals on Tupac’s platinum hits like “I Ain’t Mad at Cha” and “Picture Me Rollin’,” Danny Boy was a key figure during West Coast hip-hop’s golden contributing his powerful voice to classics by MC Hammer, Twistaand Crucial Conflict. In 2010, he dropped his long-awaited debut LPIt’s About Time, a 15-track album featuring contributions from Roger Troutman, Jodeci’s DeVante Swing and JoJo, and DJ Quik, who handled much of its production. Danny Boy’s journey is filled with resilience and triumph, solidifying his place as one of R&B’s most powerful and iconic voices.

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Today in Hip Hop History: Eazy-E Released ‘It’s On (Dr. Dre) 187um Killa’ 31 Years Ago

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On this day in Hip Hop history, Eazy-E released his second solo EP It’s On (Dr. Dre) 187um Killa. Released one year after his first EP and a long five years after his debut album Eazy-Duz-It, this album was a response to Dr. Dre’s prolific debut The Chronic. Tensions became high between the two NWA heavyweights and after the group’s 1991 split, the beef became public.

The West Coast was in a state of civil war. After NWA’s explosive breakup, its ex-members spared no time to air out their grievances on every other record they released. With Ice Cube attacking the Ruthless Records infrastructure and Dr. Dre siding with the enemy (Suge Knight and Death Row) to bring down all Eazy had built, there was no choice but for Eazy-E to respond as he did. He used the bulk of this album to state his opinion on Dr. Dre and his street authenticity, with each of the eight tracks on the EP attacking Dre’s image, originality, past, and current status in the rap game.

Aside from the disrespect that served as the core of this project, Eazy-E truly flexed his musical muscles with every track. Whether the inspiration surged from his emotional reaction to what was going with his ex-bandmates or simply from him being a seasoned veteran of gangsta rap is uncertain. What can be seen and heard however is that Eazy-E ate his Wheaties before hopping on the microphone to lay down this EP. With this project, we hear Eazy more comfortable with his own flow and who knows exactly where his lane is and how to be the fastest in it. As his final completed work in life, it is a great depiction of his growth and maturity as an artist.

Commercially, the album was a success. Peaking at #5 on the Billboard 200 and claiming the #1 spot on the Top R&B/Hip Hop chart,  It’s On (Dr. Dre) 187um Killa sold 110,600 copies in it’s first week and was certified double platinum in 1994.

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The Source Magazine Remembers Nate Dogg On His 55th Birthday

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The unmistakable G-Funk sound of Southern California created a style that in the ’90s shaped Hip Hop culture in its own image. Since its conception by Dr. Dre with The Chronic, G-Funk has become one of Hip Hop’s most unique and distinguished sub-genre and has spread West Coast culture across the globe. On this day in Hip Hop history, we celebrate the birth of the self-proclaimed King of G-Funk Nate Dogg.

Known for his smooth, soulful vocals on the hooks of some of the ’90s most popular G-Funk cuts, Nate Dogg became one of the most recognizable voices of the genre. His music career began in 1990 when he and his cousin, Snoop Dogg, formed the group 213 along with fellow Long Beach rapper Warren G. After gaining clout in the newly exploding California rap scene; the group recorded their first demo at the iconic V.I.P. Record Store in Long Beach. The demo was passed along to Dr. Dre, giving Nate Dogg and the rest of 213 a break they needed.

Nate Dogg’s first placement was on Dr. Dre’s classic debut, The Chronic, singing the outro to “Deeez Nuuuts.” He would sign with Death Row Records following the praise and acclaim he received after the album’s release. With Death Row, Nate Dogg continued to sing hooks and harmonize over tracks for various artists on the label. in 1994, he and Warren G released their first hit single, “Regulate.” 

The post The Source Magazine Remembers Nate Dogg On His 55th Birthday first appeared on The Source.

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Death Row Legend RBX Releases Solo LP ‘Hibernation Shivers’

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Long Beach legend, RBX, has finally released his comeback solo album, Hibernation Shivers, on all digital platforms alongside a limited edition vinyl release.

The new album, produced by Labcabin Records founders, Sccit & Siavash the Grouch, dropped everywhere June 28. 

Hibernation Shivers is spearheaded by RBX’s highly anticipated response to DJ Clark Kent in the albums latest single titled “The Shivers” featuring fellow Long Beach emcee KXNG Crooked & up-and-coming Los Angeles emcee/producer Sccit. 

RBX proclaimed, “when a bear come outa hibernation, the first thing he do is shiver.. then that bring on the heat.. and after the blood start flowin, now it’s time to eat. We had to shiver on some haters one time to let ‘em know we still here, ya dig?”

“The Shivers” single is just one of many joints on the album that contain appearances from hip-hop royalty. RBX recruited some of the very best from the golden era to usher in his Hibernation Shivers album. The long awaited Labcabin Records release contains additional appearances from MC Eiht, Spice 1, Ras Kass, Tha Dogg Pound, Krayzie Bone, Project Pat, Fatlip, Cold 187um, and Butch Cassidy to name a few.

“We aimin for nothin but classix … so when you press play, just let it ride out til the very end. That’s whats missin from the game,” said Sccit. Siavash added, “RBX is the hardest to ever do it. Nobody has a voice like he does. We always wanted to see a RBX album on Death Row Records .. that’s the sound we went for on this one.“

RBX most recently appeared on Tha Dogg Pound’s new single, “Who Da Hardest?” featuring the all-star Death Row Records cast and produced by DJ Premier. “A bit of an appetizer before delivering the full course meal,” insisted RBX

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Today in Hip-Hop History: Warren G’s Debut Album ‘Regulate…G Funk Era’ Turns 30 Years Old!

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On this date three decades ago, Death Row Records producer and Dr. Dre’s brother Warren G dropped his debut album ‘Regulate…G Funk Era’.

Executive produced by the late Chris Lighty, The Def Jam/Violator signee took his solo act on the road and brought it cross country to NYC to distinguish himself from the rest of his legendary peers from Death Row Records. The strategy worked, with the album being certified platinum by the RIAA two years following its release.

The album’s title track is by far the most memorable track from the album, however, another track entitled “So Many Ways” made it into the 1995 Martin Lawrence/Will Smith silver screen smash Bad Boys.

Salute to Warren G, the late Nate Dogg, the late Chris Lighty, Dr. Dre, the Violator squad and Def Jam for this timeless piece of Hip Hop History!

The post Today in Hip-Hop History: Warren G’s Debut Album ‘Regulate…G Funk Era’ Turns 30 Years Old! first appeared on The Source.

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Gala Music and Death Row Records Drop “Finesse” and “Baggin U Up” from Tha Dogg Pound

Gala Music and Death Row Records Drop “Finesse” and “Baggin U Up” from Tha Dogg Pound

Leading Web3 entertainment company Gala Music, in conjunction with Death Row Records, premiered two new songs from the iconic Hip-Hop duo Tha Dogg Pound (Daz Dillinger and Kurupt). The highly anticipated tracks “Finesse” and “Baggin U Up,” featuring Snoop Dogg and October London, are available exclusively on the Gala Music platform.

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This release marks a continuation of Tha Dogg Pound’s triumphant return. In April, they dropped the single “Smoke Up” featuring Snoop Dogg, and now they’ve announced their new album, W.A.W.G. (We All We Got), which will be released on May 31, 2024, on Gala Music and other major streaming platforms. This album is their first with Snoop Dogg since their reunion in 2005 and their first on Death Row Records since their 1995 debut, Dogg Food.

Since its emergence in the early 1990s, Tha Dogg Pound has been a trendsetter and barrier-breaker in the music industry. Its collaboration with Gala Music highlights its commitment to innovation, offering fans new ways to engage with its music through Web3 technology.

“Gala Music is at the forefront of ushering both established and emerging artists into Web3 and introducing them to the many opportunities that exist in the space,” said Gala’s President of Music, Leila Steinberg. “And we couldn’t be more excited to partner with Death Row Records and a legendary Hip-Hop group, Tha Dogg Pound, on their first Web3 releases!”

Gala Music seamlessly integrates Web3 and music, providing a unique and immersive entertainment experience. Their relationship with Death Row Records began in 2022 with the release of Snoop Dogg’s album, Bacc on Death Row (B.O.D.R.), via Gala’s platform. Through cutting-edge technologies and strategic partnerships, Gala Music redefines how fans connect with their favorite artists.

The post Gala Music and Death Row Records Drop “Finesse” and “Baggin U Up” from Tha Dogg Pound first appeared on The Source.

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Today in Hip-Hop History: Death Row Records’ ‘Above The Rim’ Soundtrack Turns 30 Years Old!

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On this day in Hip-Hop history, Death Row Records, in conglomeration with Interscope Records, released the soundtrack to the popular film, Above the Rim. Winning the 1995 Source Award for Soundtrack of the Year, this album featured so many hits that it could have stood alone from the movie as a compilation album.

Acting as executive producers of the project, Suge Knight and Dr. Dre curated one of the most popular movie soundtracks of all time. This album featured artists 2Pac, Warren G, SWV, Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg, The Lady of Rage, and more. Due to the popularity of the artists and the success of the movie, the soundtrack sold 2,000,000 copies in the year of its release and peaked at #2 on the Billboard 200 chart. Although it fell short on the mainstream chart, the album was able to grab hold of that #1 spot on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart. Here are some videos from the outstanding soundtrack to help jog your memory of its greatness.

The post Today in Hip-Hop History: Death Row Records’ ‘Above The Rim’ Soundtrack Turns 30 Years Old! first appeared on The Source.

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Today In Hip-Hop History: Dogg Pound Singer Nate Dogg Passed Away 13 Years Ago

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On this date in 2011 in Long Beach, California, Nathaniel Hale, better known as rap/R&B crooner Nate Dogg, died from complications after suffering several strokes. He was 41 years old.

His Long Beach homie Snoop Dogg introduced him to the rap game via their trio 213, which was the group brought to Dr. Dre by his little brother Warren G. and made everyone in the trio West Coast Legends.
Nate was a trailblazer in the rap/R&B fusion, with smash hits with Fabolous, Mobb Deep, Mos Def, Ludacris, and many more. He earned four Grammy nods.

Salute and condolences to the entire 213 families from the Mind Squad, The Source Magazine, and the entire Northstar Media Group. Nate was an intricate member of our culture and will truly be missed.

The post Today In Hip-Hop History: Dogg Pound Singer Nate Dogg Passed Away 13 Years Ago first appeared on The Source.

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